The summer Milky Way over the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, photographed by Dave Eicher, August 15, 2017.
Our second day of the Astronomy Magazine Eclipse Tour 2017 commenced on Lake Powell, in northern Arizona, near the Arizona/Utah border. Our trip, northward bound, consists of 89 people on three buses, headed for eclipse day at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Monday the 21st. We are partners with Aram Kaprielian and his TravelQuest International crew, a great team of travel experts. We will meet a southbound group at Jackson Hole and have around 200 people at our eclipse site. The magazine is also partnering with TravelQuest on a tour in Nashville, and also a West Coast tour that will view the eclipse from Oregon.
Our group enjoyed a cruise on Lake Powell on the morning of Tuesday the 15th. It was the only day thus far on which we had cloud cover. The boat carried us through a magnificent canyon, along the red sandstone that makes this area so spectacular — almost martian! Unfortunately, we saw the aftermath of an apparent tragedy. Park Service divers and police were looking for a body in one area of the lake, and the word was that as many as three young folks had perished the day before by diving off a cliff into the lake, far below. This serves as a solemn reminder to be safe in all things you do. Nature can be a dangerous place.
Nearby stands the impressive Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell and stores water for many southwestern cities, as well as generating hydroelectric power.
We then left Lake Powell and the spectacular resort where we had stayed. The target was now Navajo Bridge, Arizona, where a modern bridge spans the Colorado River beside an original 1929 bridge, the first to span the river close to where the Grand Canyon originates. Standing at Navajo Bridge and taking my own pictures, I was reminded of photos my dad and his parents took where they crossed the old bridge in the 1930s.
We then sped off to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where we stayed the night in somewhat rustic, but also charming, cabins operated by the National Park Service. It was quite an adventure. And best of all, not to mention the breathatking dinner overlooking the canyon and sunset views, we had a fantastic night of dark sky viewing from the North Rim. This trip was rapidly transforming into a magical dream!
The beauty of Lake Powell’s red rocks, near Page, Arizona, August 15, 2017.
The beauty of Lake Powell’s red rocks, near Page, Arizona, August 15, 2017.
The beauty of Lake Powell’s red rocks, near Page, Arizona, August 15, 2017.
The Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell, near Page, Arizona, August 15, 2017.
The red rocks of Lake Powell, near Page, Arizona, August 15, 2017.
The Colorado River at Navajo Bridge, Arizona, near the origination of the Grand Canyon, August 15, 2017.
Navajo Bridge, Arizona, near the point of origination of the Grand Canyon, August 15, 2017.